ATLANTA — Former vice president Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke, both vying for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, discussed plans to fight voter suppression and spoke in support of abortion from the same stage on Thursday night.

The candidates appeared at the Democratic National Committee's I Will Vote Gala fundraiser that included speeches from several influential Democrats from Georgia —including Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rep. Lucy McBath.

Many spoke to the importance of equal voting rights and registering as many voters as possible to help Democrats win key races across the country.

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Former Vice President Joe Biden continues to be the top pick for the Democratic nomination for president among Democrats and Democratic-leaning registered voters, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, but his support has faded some since just after the official launch of his campaign. require(["medianetNativeAdOnArticle"], function (medianetNativeAdOnArticle)
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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden declared Saturday that the Equality Act would be his top legislative priority, an effort to enshrine LGBTQ protections into the The two 2020 presidential candidates appeared at the Democratic National Committee 's I Will Vote Gala fundraiser in Atlanta .

The event was the culmination of appearances by Democratic presidential hopefuls in Atlanta on Thursday. Cory Booker and Pete Buttigieg spoke earlier at the DNC's African American Leadership Council Summit.

Biden used the fundraiser to announce he would no longer support the Hyde Amendment, a longstanding law that blocks federal funding for abortion in most cases. Biden's opponents, including O'Rourke and Bill de Blasio, had criticized him for previously supporting the law.

“Women’s rights and women’s health are under assault,” Biden said on Thursday. “It’s clear to me that these folks are going to stop at nothing to get rid of Roe (v. Wade). And it’s clear to me that we need to be just as strong to defend it.”

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Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O'Rourke hammered President Trump over his trade policies after the White House announced Friday it had reached an immigration deal to avoid slapping tariffs on all imports from Mexico. require(["medianetNativeAdOnArticle"], function (medianetNativeAdOnArticle)
{
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}); "The damage from this president's disastrous tariffs has already been done," O'Rourke, a former Texas congressman who represented the border town of El Paso, said in a press release.

In need of cash, Democratic presidential hopefuls turn to wealthy donors: DNC announces criteria for fall debates - and ups the ante Democratic presidential candida The two 2020 presidential candidates appeared at the Democratic National Committee 's I Will Vote Gala fundraiser in Atlanta .

Beto O ’ Rourke - another presidential hopeful - also took the stage as he talked about voter suppression and his stance on politics. Some of the other speakers at the fundraiser included Georgia's own Stacey Abrams, Congresswoman Lucy McBath, along with Atlanta Mayor Keisha

Biden also said he would fight for the protection of voting rights, equal access to education for black and poor children, and work to end environmental racism.

O'Rourke reiterated his support for abortion: "Every woman makes her own decision about her own body.”

An interactive guide: Who is running for president in 2020?

Also Thursday, O'Rourke announced a proposal to register 50 million new voters, prohibit Secretary of State offices from purging voter rolls, make Election Day a national holiday and provide paper receipts to voters to confirm that their vote was counted.

"If we repair our democracy at this moment of maximum threat and peril for that very democracy ... then we will fully honor the service and sacrifice of those that preceded us," O'Rourke said.

Beto O’Rourke described as 'blank slate' by Iowa Democrat introducing him

A local Democrat introduced Beto O’Rourke as a "blank slate" at a campaign stop in Iowa on Friday. require(["medianetNativeAdOnArticle"], function (medianetNativeAdOnArticle)
{
medianetNativeAdOnArticle.getMedianetNativeAds(true);
}); "Beto is here because he wants to hear what rural Iowa and rural America is standing for. He is going from city to city. He wants to hear what we want. He is a blank slate that is waiting to be filled by our hopes and dreams for the United States," the woman said, introducing O’Rourke to the crowd.

Beto O ’ Rourke ’s just-announced presidential candidacy will be based on his charisma, fundraising ability O ’ Rourke may be one of the best fundraisers running for president in 2020, spending a If Joe Biden again doesn’t run, O ’ Rourke could pretty quickly build support among “moderate” voters

Cameron Joseph Cameron Joseph is Talking Points Memo's senior political correspondent based in Washington, D.C. He covers Capitol Hill, the White House and the permanent campaign. Previous publications include the New York Daily News, Mashable, The Hill and National Journal.

Georgia was the center of controversy last year, when Abrams, who lost her bid for governor, accused state officials of suppressing minority voters before and during the election.

Abrams on Thursday called on other Democrats to join her in the fight for fair elections.

"We know voting is the most sacred responsibility we can hold," Abrams said. “We cannot have our liberty ... if we do not control the level of powers who make it real.”

The DNC's I Will Vote program was launched last year with a goal of registering and educating voters.

Angela McNair traveled from Erie, Pennsylvania, to attend the fundraiser for the second year. She said she enjoys hearing Democrats address the issues that affect many communities across the country, including voter suppression and racism.

"The more we don't think about it, the more other people have the opportunity to just step in and do what they want with us," McNair said. "Because ignorance is bliss."

Joe Biden is Donald Trump.
Electing someone who wants to bring back pre-2016 America isn’t just unsatisfactory; it’s a threat. The leftward lurch in policy positions and priorities happened after Trump’s victory, so why would progressives want to turn back the clock? “Best Friends Day” bracelets desperately reminding voters of a long-ago bromance with Barack Obama aren’t the comfort Biden wants them to be. But is the threat enough to spook him into retirement? Never Biden Democrats, after all, may not remain Never Biden.

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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden declared Saturday that the Equality Act would be his top legislative priority, an effort to enshrine LGBTQ protections into the The two 2020 presidential candidates appeared at the Democratic National Committee 's I Will Vote Gala fundraiser in Atlanta .
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Beto O ’ Rourke - another presidential hopeful - also took the stage as he talked about voter suppression and his stance on politics. Some of the other speakers at the fundraiser included Georgia's own Stacey Abrams, Congresswoman Lucy McBath, along with Atlanta Mayor Keisha

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Cameron Joseph Cameron Joseph is Talking Points Memo's senior political correspondent based in Washington, D.C. He covers Capitol Hill, the White House and the permanent campaign. Previous publications include the New York Daily News, Mashable, The Hill and National Journal.